There is an urgent call for the Government to put a hold on the upcoming increase in the toll to use Highway 2000. The Greater Portmore Joint Council said the adjustment will place a major strain on residents of the municipality, especially those facing wage freezes.
Motorists who use the East to West thoroughfare will have to dig deeper into their pockets effective this Saturday, July 6. The Jamaican Infrastructure Operator Limited, the managers of Highway 2000, has announced an increase in toll rates on the Vineyards, Spanish Town, Portmore and May Pen legs. It said this has become necessary due to the rise in recurring input costs. For a Class One vehicle using the Portmore Leg, the toll will move from J$130 to J$150 dollars; the new rate for Class Two vehicles will be J$230 up from J$200; while it will cost J$450 dollars for Class Three vehicles up from J$390.
Howard Hamilton, Chairman of the Greater Portmore Joint Council, told RJR News the impending increase was not going down well with residents.
“And when you put the toll rate increase with the utility increase, property tax, the sliding dollar, you can see what sort of financial strain the residents of Portmore will be under. We think it is due time the government and the operators really look at they are doing and how this will affect the quality of life of the people of Portmore. We need the road, but there has to be some financial conscience,” said Mr. Hamilton.
Mr. Hamilton is urging the Simpson Miller administration to take heed of the negative reactions to the toll increase. “I invite the government to do what they can to hold the increase, because it’s gonna be the straw that really breaks the back of the Portmore people. We are teetering on the edge now and there’s no way out. We are caught between a deep place and a toll rate that we can’t afford,” insisted Mr. Hamilton.
One trade union leader is also urging the Government to proceed cautiously with plans to increase the Highway toll rates. Helene Davis-White, Vice President of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU) said the adjustment had implications for inflation as well as the agreement for wage restraint between the Government and public sector workers.
In the meantime, a source in the Ministry of Transport and Works is insisting that the toll increases are in keeping with the agreement with the operator of Highway 2000. The source told RJR News that the toll operator applied to the toll regulator who then reviewed the application. Recommendations were subsequently made to the Minister of Transport and Works, Dr. Omar Davies. If the increases had not been granted the gap in revenue incurred by the toll operator would have had to be filled by the Government.
All feeds
